Titans better off without Farah: Prince - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Titans better off without Farah: Prince

By Crystal Ja 16/01/2009 06:17:22 PM Comments (0)

Titans co-captain Scott Prince believes missing out on Robbie Farah could be a blessing in disguise, with young gun Kayne Lawton set to fill the hooking void in 2010.

The Titans tried to tempt Farah to the Gold Coast with a lucrative deal over a month of gentle persuasion, but were rejected when the in-demand hooker opted to stay loyal to the Tigers.

The move - along with Nathan Friend's almost-certain departure at the end of this season - has left the Titans with a dearth of options in picking their future NRL hooker.

But Prince said on Friday the Gold Coast were better off without Farah, given it allowed Lawton a chance to crack the senior side.

"It's probably a good thing that we missed out on him in hindsight," he told AAP.

"It was disappointing, because we were very, very excited and I spoke to him on a personal level too, but family and also that he's a Balmain junior made it difficult.

"Robbie's a class player - he's a guy with a reputation where teams will watch him and could have freed up a lot of space for myself at halfback.

"But there's always a reason behind everything and with Robbie not being here, it allows Kayne to have 12 months with Nathan ... and to learn a lot off him and his work ethic.

"Hopefully, Kayne will live up to all the expectation and do the job we need."

Lawton, 19, was one of the Titan's best players in the Toyota Cup in 2008 before being troubled by an ankle injury late in the season.

Prince could even see a touch of Farah in the youngster.

"He's a local junior and he'll be like Farah (in that) hopefully he'll stay here," he said.

Two months out from the start of the season, Prince said the Titans were feeling fitter than ever - with early eyes on a top four finish and an improved away record.

The Coast are still smarting from appalling fall from grace in the final half of last season, losing 11 of their last 15 games.

They won only twice away from Skilled Park.

"Without putting too much pressure on ourselves, if you don't make the finals, it's seen as an unsuccessful year," Prince said.

"And we want top four, because if you don't make top four, the finals are down in Sydney."

Under new strength and conditioning coach Chris McLellan, the Titans have also embarked on a new training regime this year.

"He's really targeted strength and power and most of our forwards, outside backs have put a bit more weight on, more muscle, skin folds are down which is good," Prince said.

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